Super Eagles Captain Wilfred Ndidi Loses Father in Fatal Road Crash

Super Eagles captain Wilfred Ndidi has been thrown into mourning following the death of his father, Sunday Ndidi, who died in a fatal road accident in Delta State.

According to Punch Newspapers, Mr Ndidi, a retired military officer, was involved in a road traffic accident on Tuesday in Umunede, Ika North East Local Government Area of Delta State.

He was reportedly rushed to a hospital in nearby Agbor, where he was later confirmed dead.

The sad development was confirmed by Ndidi’s club side, Turkish giants Besiktas, in an official statement released on Tuesday via their verified X (formerly Twitter) account.

“We are deeply saddened to learn of the tragic passing of our footballer Wilfred Ndidi’s esteemed father, Sunday Ndidi, in a fatal traffic accident,” the statement read.
“May Allah grant mercy to the deceased; we extend our heartfelt condolences to our footballer Wilfred Ndidi, his family, and loved ones.”

The loss comes barely weeks after Ndidi captained Nigeria to a third-place finish at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Morocco.

The Super Eagles secured a record ninth bronze medal after edging Egypt on penalties in the third-place match played in Casablanca.

Ndidi was one of Nigeria’s standout performers throughout the tournament and capped his impressive outing by scoring his first senior international goal during the group-stage victory over Tunisia.

His leadership and experience were widely praised as the Super Eagles bounced back strongly after missing out on a place in the final.

Since news of his father’s passing broke, tributes and messages of condolence have continued to pour in from fans, teammates, football stakeholders, and Nigerians across social media, sympathising with the midfielder during this difficult period.

Wilfred Ndidi, widely regarded as one of Nigeria’s most influential midfielders, is yet to make a personal statement on the loss.